Does anybody else find this alarming?

[Freiwillige]

Why is this not making national headlines?

[Etienne]

1. Because it's six months old.

2. Because it's not interesting. It's a twenty second snippet of a speech, there's no context - he's probably talking about the department of Homeland Security, the FBI, or local police forces. It doesn't scream "UN directed civillian oppression force" to me, sorry.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Etienne

1. Because it's six months old.

2. Because it's not interesting. It's a twenty second snippet of a speech, there's no context - he's probably talking about the department of Homeland Security, the FBI, or local police forces. It doesn't scream "UN directed civillian oppression force" to me, sorry.

[UnderseaLcpl]

I don't blame you for being alarmed. He's made a lot of little comments that sound alarming, most of which escape notice. The first time I heard that one, I thought; "Red Guard".

I still have no idea what he was talking about, though.

[Stealth Hunter]

Originally Posted by Freiwillige

Why is this not making national headlines?

Basically, Etienne answered your question with a perfectly summed-up answer.

And it really is a pretty cheap shot to use a snippet of a speech he gave that's less than thirty seconds long without even giving a link to the full thing as justification for starting a controversy.

[Schöneboom]

I also heard Rahm Emanuel talk about the same plan, re a "mandatory volunteer" civil defense service. There's a podcast recording of him talking about it, if anyone wants to search & listen. It sounds kinda innocuous, like emergency response training -- which actually would be desirable for major disasters that might swamp our professional first responders.

In any case, if the Obama Brigade ever does come into existence, the clever thing might to infiltrate them, take advantage of any training & equipment they provide, & scoop up any useful intel. Then, if the gov't ever tries to use this against the people (like the E. German Stasi), they might be in for a surprise.

At this point, though, I'd say we have enough to worry about as it is!

[August]

I've long believed that a short period of national service benefits both the individual and the nation. Military service, peace corps, conservation work, heck just picking up trash from the side of the road, just as long as it beneficial to the community.

People tend to hold dear that for which they have toiled to create and maintain.

[Freiwillige]

Forced volunteerism? America has no shortage of volunteers when the need arises. Obamas plan for mandatory volunteer duty is just plain wrong. We have always been a country of volunteers and failing in that we had the draft but thats only used in times of war.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Freiwillige

Forced volunteerism? America has no shortage of volunteers when the need arises. Obamas plan for mandatory volunteer duty is just plain wrong. We have always been a country of volunteers and failing in that we had the draft but thats only used in times of war.

At what point during the clip you posted did Obama say anything about forced volunteerism?

Do you have a citation for any plan of President Obama to have a mandatory volunteer duty program?

[Skybird]

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/0...ice/tab/print/

[Platapus]

Skyibird, was that citation in response to my question?

If it was, it still did not indicate any mandatory volunteer programs that Obama is proposing. There was a lot of asking people to serve though. And that is how it should be.

[Tchocky]

I think Sky was linking to the full speech in question, so that we have it in-thread as opposed to selective quotations like the first post.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Tchocky

I think Sky was linking to the full speech in question, so that we have it in-thread as opposed to selective quotations like the first post.

Ah ok

[antikristuseke]

Originally Posted by August

I've long believed that a short period of national service benefits both the individual and the nation. Military service, peace corps, conservation work, heck just picking up trash from the side of the road, just as long as it beneficial to the community.

People tend to hold dear that for which they have toiled to create and maintain.

Agreed. But thinking like this makes you a sochulist!

[Skybird]

I linked the original speech during which Obama left the script for some sentences, these sentences that are not included in the original script formed the items he later got criticised for in several right-winged blogs and Republican sites. I found an example at American Thinker, and from there found the script of the speech in the Wallstreet Journal.

Nevertheless, this speech and it's content is the context in which his quoted free comments must be seen.